Commercial truck accidents can be some of the most devastating collisions out on the roads. The injuries of victims of accidents involving large commercial trucks can be incredibly severe in nature. Such crashes can also take lives.
Unfortunately, commercial vehicle accidents having been trending the wrong direction recently here in Georgia. It is estimated that, last year, the state saw around a 4 percent increase in such accidents. Also, currently, Georgia holds a place on a top-five list no state wants to be on: a top-five list of states with the highest levels of commercial-motor-vehicle-involved fatal accidents.
Why do you think Georgia has been seeing an uptick in commercial vehicle accidents lately? What do you think could help reverse this?
Recently, the governor announced a new plan aimed at helping improve commercial truck safety out on the state’s roads. The plan involves increasing the number of Motor Carrier Compliance Officers in the state.
These state-level commercial truck enforcement officers do a variety of things, including conduct truck inspections and take enforcement actions against truck drivers who disobey traffic laws. Currently, the state has 234 such officers. Under the recently-announced plan, over the next year, 60 more such officers will be added. The plan is that these new officers will be deployed in high-crash areas.
The hope is that this increase in Motor Carrier Compliance Officers will lead to stronger enforcement and create a stronger deterrent against truck drivers acting improperly out on the state’s roads.
What are your thoughts on this plan? Do you think this plan will lead to commercial truck safety improvements out on Georgia’s roads? Do you think the plan could help reduce commercial vehicle accidents in the state?
When a person is injured in a crash that came about because a commercial truck driver acted improperly, they may have legal claims they can pursue related to compensation. Attorneys can provide guidance to victims of commercial truck accidents regarding what legal options they have.
Source: Savannah Morning News, “Governor announces increased officers on highways,” Jamie Parker, June 11, 2015
